US inching toward arming Syrian rebels

Barack Obama's decision to send small arms and ammunition to Syrian rebels has been criticised by Republicans and Democrats for not going far enough. Now there's talk the US president is considering a limited no-fly zone over Syria.

Transcript

icon-plusicon-minus

TONY EASTLEY: Barack Obama's decision to send small arms and ammunition to Syrian rebels has been criticised by Republicans and Democrats alike for not going far enough.

Now there's talk the US president is considering a limited no-fly zone over Syria.

North America correspondent, Ben Knight.

BEN KNIGHT: It takes the White House chief of staff, Denis McDonough, just three seconds to set out the policy on Syria.

DENIS MCDONOUGH: We've rushed to war in this region in the past; we're not going to do it here.

BEN KNIGHT: The polls have consistently shown that the overwhelming majority of Americans feel exactly the same way.

There is extreme reluctance to entangle the United States in another disastrous Middle Eastern war, especially one that involves Iran and Russia on the other side.

On Sunday, Russia' president Vladimir Putin had this to say about the American decision to send weapons to the Syrian rebels.

(Sound of Vladimir Putin speaking)

"You will not deny that one does not really need to support the people who not only kill their enemies, but open up their bodies, eat their intestines in front of the public and cameras. Are these the people you want to support?"

Today, Barack Obama will try to convince Vladimir Putin to pull back on his support for the Assad regime. But back in Washington, the American president's under pressure himself from Republicans to ramp up his support for the rebels.

DAN COATS: Well small arms don't stop tanks, which the Syrians are using.

LINDSEY GRAHAM: AK47s will not neutralise the advantage that Assad has.

JOHN MCCAIN: They need a lot more than military assistance. We need to establish the no-fly zone.

BEN KNIGHT: Even some senior Democrats, like Senator Bob Menendez, are saying the president could do more.

BOB MENENDEZ: You can't just simply send them, you know, a pea-shooter against a blunderbuss. We need to tip the scales, not simply to nudge them.

BEN KNIGHT: There's time pressure on Barack Obama as well. After two years of bloody stalemate, the Assad regime appears to be gaining the upper hand.

The White House is now reported to be considering a limited no-fly zone over Syria that could involve bombing Syrian airfields, which would stop warplanes from taking off, and stop weapons from being flown in.

But it's not what's happening in the air that's the problem in Syria; it's what's happening on the ground. Specifically, the arrival of Iranian-backed Hezbollah fighters from across the border in Lebanon.

Now, Britain's Independent newspaper reports that Iran has decided to commit 4,000 of its own Revolutionary Guards to fight on behalf of the Assad regime.

All of this makes the prospect of getting the US involved even less appealing for Barack Obama and the American people, many of whom may well agree with the view of the former vice presidential candidate, governor Sarah Palin.

SARAH PALIN: I say, until we have someone who knows what they're doing, I say, let Allah sort it out.

(Laughter and applause)

BEN KNIGHT: This is Ben Knight in Washington for AM.

TONY EASTLEY: And there are reports this morning that a major blast has occurred at a military airport in the Syrian capital Damascus.

Syrian state television says the blast was caused by "a terrorist attempt" on the target of the military airport.